Foreign prisoners should receive health insurance, says Swiss government

All prisoners in Switzerland should be covered by health insurance in future. This also applies to prisoners who are not resident in Switzerland. They will have to cover the costs themselves.

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On Friday the government approved a corresponding draft amendment to the Federal Health Insurance Act. Now it’s parliament’s turn.

Of all prisoners in Switzerland, a third – around 2,300 people – were not covered by compulsory health insurance in 2023, the government said. According to the Federal Constitution and international treaties that enshrine fundamental and human rights, Switzerland has a responsibility to ensure the health of detainees, regardless of their place of residence. Medical care should be equivalent to the treatment of people in freedom.

+ Foreign inmates fall through health insurance cracks

The healthcare costs incurred by these people have so far been borne by the cantons and financed by cantonal tax revenue, it was further stated. The cantonal costs were borne by various judicial and penal institutions, the health authorities or the communal social welfare authorities. Until now, the financing was not standardised.

In future, the government wrote that the premium should be borne by the persons concerned themselves. The cantons could reduce the premium and restrict the choice of insurer or insurance model.

According to the government, the amendment to the Federal Health Insurance Act will make the costs for the cantons more predictable. In principle, prisoners should not have the right to choose their own doctor.

Adapted from German by AI/ts